A Regional Division of the American Association of Geographers
2021 SWAAG Student Competition Winners:
 
Student Award Winners:
                                                                                                                                                                              Prize
Graduate Student Paper Competition
1.   Katherine Lester*  UNT   250
2.  Zach Tabor.  UNT.  100
3.  Dolly Na-Yemeh.   OU.  50

Graduate Student Poster Competition
1.   Madeline Wade.  TSU.  250
2.   Chayanika Singh   TSU.  100
3.  Blair Mirka.  UNM.  50

Undergraduate Paper Competition
1.   Paul Seminara**.  UCA.  250
2.   Jenna Randall.  OU.  100
2.   Robert Schaefer.  Tarleton   100

Undergraduate Student Poster Competition
1.   Madeline Crawford.  UNT.  250
2.   Sarah Seibold.  LSU.  100
3.   Ashley Green.  UNT.  50

 * Best Graduate Student Paper at Regional Meeting (1000 prize)
** Best Undergraduate Student Paper at Regional Meeting (1000 prize)
 
Geography Bowl
Team winner: University of North Texas (trophy)
Individuals:
1. Joanna Weathersby, TSU, 250
2. Blair Mirka, UNM, 100
2. Richard Kirk, UNT, 100


​Student Poster and Paper Competition Guidelines
  1. There will be separate competitions for graduate and undergraduate students and for papers and posters.
  2. Research must have been completed recently, during the author's undergraduate or graduate studies and can include thesis and dissertation topics. At the time of presentation, the applicant must still be a student. Papers and posters must be produced entirely by the applicant; however, thesis and dissertation advisors and collaborators may be co‐authors on the papers.
  3. The SWAAG Treasurer will appoint a panel of judges composed of members of SWAAG.
  4. Each student who wishes to enter a student competition must submit both a regular abstract on the SWAAG registration website and an extended abstract via email addressed to Dr. Jennifer Koch[KJA1] , SWAAG Treasurer at jakoch@ou.edu . The extended abstract cannot be more than 500 words in length. Extended abstracts need to indicate whether the entry is for the graduate or undergraduate competition and whether it is for the paper or poster competition. Both the regular and the extended abstracts are due by 5:00 pm CST on 24 September 2021. Failure to abide by any of these guidelines will also disqualify you from the student competitions.
  5. You must copy your advisor in your email described under 4) and acknowledge in the email body that “My advisor has reviewed this extended abstract and approves its submission for the student competition.” In this email, you must also list your advisor’s name and email address. The SWAAG Treasurer will then send your advisor a link to a form in which they assess your project. This “Advisor’s Form” must be submitted by your advisor by 5:00 pm CST on 01 October 2021. Late advisor forms will not be accepted and failure to submit the advisor form on time will disqualify the student from the student competitions.
  6. The SWAAG Treasurer will send all qualified extended abstracts to the judges. Each judge will have five days to review the extended abstracts and convey his or her ranking of them to the SWAAG Treasurer. Ranking will be based on the following criteria: originality and significance of the research; strength of the problem statement and research objectives/hypotheses/questions; appropriateness of the methodological approach; quality of the results, discussion, and conclusions; depth of engagement with the literature; and clarity of the presentation.
  7. Based on the rankings of the judges, the SWAAG Treasurer will identify up to ten entries as finalists and convey this decision to the SWAAG Meeting Program Committee. Judges must not evaluate entries from their departments. Rankings for students from a judge’s department will be determined based on the remaining judges’ rankings. 
  8. Students who are not selected as finalists will present their papers or posters in regular sessions but will not be considered for the student awards.
  9. Students who are selected as finalists will present their papers or posters in special sessions. Judges will attend these special paper and poster sessions and rank the presentations based on the extended abstract criteria listed above as well as the following criteria:
    Paper: time management; delivery (voice, tone, body language, eye contact, language, attitude, enthusiasm); overall presentation (quality, attitude); and response to questions from the audience.
    Poster: legibility; writing; use of graphics; overall visual appeal; and student’s engagement with audience.
  10. Following the competition sessions, the SWAAG Treasurer will organize a meeting with the judges to determine the winners of the student paper and poster awards.
  11. Competition winners will receive a cash award and an award certificate. Student awards will be announced and presented during the SWAAG final session on Friday, October 15, 2021.



Judges and competitors, please find the student paper and poster evaluation rubrics here: